Agion Oros - Mount Athos

To all my readers. May the light of the Resurrected Lord shine bright in all of your hearts and give your souls a resurrection and a new beginning. I hope you all had a blessed Pascha. In Christ, George

The miraculous Icon of Panagia Vimatarissa or Ktitorissa is the premier Icon of the Holy Monastery of Vatopediou. It is placed at the central chair of the Holy Altar inside the main church (Katholicon) of the Monastery. According to tradition, Arcadius, the young son of Theodosios the Great, Emperor of Rome, was involved in a ship wreck. He washed to shore and ended up under a bush under miraculous circumstances. He found this Icon under this bush. This site later became the site of the Monastery of Vatopediou and hence the name of the Monastery - The greek word for bush is Vatos and the Greek word for child is Pedi, Vato Pedi or Greek - Βατοπαιδιου. The Icon was placed in the Holy Altar of the Monastery when the Monastery was built. The Icon also receives the name Ktitorissa (the establisher) from this miracle. The best known miracle of this Holy Icon is as follows. When Arab pirates decided to loot the Monastery (as was common practice in the 10th century), the Hierodeacon Savvas was...

The below text gives us a brief account of St. John Koukouzelis's life and why the Icon of The Theotokos, has the name Koukouzelissa.  Panagia Koukouzelissa is a miraculous Icon, which is located at the Holy Monastery of Great Lavra, the oldest and first in hierarchial order of all Monasteries on Mount Athos.  Its name comes from Saint John Koukouzelis, the renowned chanter of the Holy Monastery of Great Lavra. The young John was born in 12 th century in Dirrachio and his father passed away when he was very young. John and his pious mother lived in poverty, eating broad beans and peas almost on a daily basis. This is where John receives his nickname “Koukouzelis”. Broad beans in Greek is “koukia” and peas is “bizelia.” A synthesis of the two words: Koukouzelis. When John came of age he went to Constantinople and enrolled himself into the Imperial Academy. Thanks to his beautiful voice, the Emperor Komninos soon noticed him. Not much time passed and he was made th...

Dear Readers, In the month of April, I will commence making posts on the origins of the Miraculous Icons of Mount Athos in the order of the Monasteries. Some of the stories are not really known well outside of Athos, and for some, this will be the first time the full stories will be written in English. I hope you all enjoy, and I wish you all a Blessed Easter. In Christ, George Fangos